Packaging device for cylindrical objects



. 8, 1956 D. B. PHlLLIPS' 2,774,474

PACKAGING DEVICE FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Aug. 2, 1954 INVENTOR.DAVID B. PHILLIPS g- LUJZQQW 2% A TTORNE Y United States PatentPACKAGING DEVICE FOR CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS This invention relates topackaging devices, and in particular relates to a packaging devicedesigned to facilitate unit transportation of one or more objects ofsubstantially cylindrical shape.

In the past, the transportation of cylindrical objects has generallybeen efiectuated through the medium of the conventional six-sided boxthat is provided with spacer members on the interior side walls thereoffor the purpose of spacing the cylindrical object with respect thereto.

While the above-referred to type of packaging device functioned properlyfrom the standpoint of transporting the cylindrical objects as a unit,several disadvantages were apparent with respect to this known type ofprior art. The first and foremost of these disadvantages relates to therelatively high cost of this type of packag ing device, resulting fromthe necessity of employing the relatively large amount of wood or otherpackaging material during the construction of the box member per se.Further expense was caused by the necessity of providing theaforementioned spacer members of an exact and conforming'configuration,whereby the same would be capable of exactly 'spacing'the cylindricalobject with respect to the side walls of the box member. A still furtherdisadvantage of this type of packaging device was encountered withrespect to certain difficulties that arose when the transportation wasinterrupted for the purpose of performing a further operation on thecylinder. Such a situation arises, for example, in the manufacture andtransportation of artillery shells, wherein shells are made at one plantand loaded with explosive at a second plant. In use of the known priorart devices a great deal of lost time resulted from the mandatorypackaging and re-packaging of the relatively complex prior art box.

It has been discovered that a greatly simplified packaging device can beprovided if the inherent axial inflexibility of the cylindrical objectis utilized to cooperate structurally with the elements ofthe packagingdevice per se.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide aninexpensive container adapted for the transportation of objects ofsubstantially cylindrical configuration.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an inexpensivecontainer for the transportation of oneor more objects of substantiallycylindrical configuration wherein the axial inflexibility of thecylindrical objects is structurally utilized in cooperation with theelements of the packaging unit to define an overall inflexible packagingstructure.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an inexpensivecontainer for the transportation of one or more objects of substantiallycylindrical configuration and being characterized by the extreme easewith which these cylindrical objects can be removed and repositionedwith respect to packaging means.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide 2,7 74,474Patented Dec. 18, 1956 a container for cylindrical objects that includesa pallet means thereon.

These and other objects of the invention will become. more apparent upona reading of the following bn'ef specification considered andinterpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings.

0f the drawings! Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating theimproved packaging device in conjunction with the packaging of a pair ofartillery shells.

Figures 2 and 3 are views taken on'the lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively,of Figure l. e I

Figure 4 is a perspective viewof a modified bottom support memberincorporating an improved pallet design. Referring now to the drawings,and in particul'ar,t0'

Figure 1 thereof, the improved packaging unit, generally designated as10, is shown as including an upper.

support member 11 and a lower pallet support member 12 that are shownsecured to the opposed ends of artillery shells 13, 13, by bandingstraps 14, 14.

.As is best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the upper support member11 is defined by a rectangular block 24 and furtther includes a pair oftransversely extending block members 21, 21 secured thereto as by nails23, 23. For the purpose of receiving the upper tapered ends 13a, 13a ofthe artillery shells 13, 13, the transversely extending block members21, 21 are each provided with an aperture 24, 'the arrangement beingsuch that these apertures 24, 24 are axially aligned with and concentricabout a pair of apertures 25, 25 that are provided in the block 20 (seeFigure 2). The apertures25, 25 are shown radially undercut as at 26, 26for the purpose of receiving a cooperating shoulder of the artilleryshells 13, 13. In addition each aperture 25 is shown slotted radiallyoutwardly as, at 27, 27 .to provide drainage holes for water or otherliquids accu- 'mulating on the topsurface of the block 20.

As has been previouslyindicated, the lower support member 12 isengagedabout the opposite axial ends 13b, 13b of the artillery shells13, 13 in spacedrelationshipi to the support 11. To this end, the lowersupport mam, ber 12 is shown as including a rectangular platef30lfprovided with a pair of cylindrical'undercuts 131, 31 that define seats32, 32 upon which the artilleryshellslla,

13 may rest. As before, drainage of the lower support member 12 may befacilitated by providing apertures 33, 33 to communicate the seats 32,32 with the surface 3900f block 31 (See Figure 3.) It is similarlymanifest that the seats 32, 32 of the lower support member 12 may besomewhat inclined to cause drainage through apertures 33, 33.

For the purpose of providing pallet means, the block 30 is shown inFigure 1 of the drawings as being supported with respect to the groundor other objects by a plurality of transversely extending spacer blocks34, 34 that are secured with respect to the block 30 by a plurality offlange members 35, 35, the arrangement being such that the fork lifts ofa truck may be inserted into the spaces between the members 34, 34 forlifting engagement with the surface 30a of the lower support member 12in known manner. It is important to note with respect to the upper andlower support means 11 and 12, that the apertures 25, 25 are axiallyaligned with the cylindrical undercuts 31, 31, thus permitting uprightreception of the artillery shells withrespect to the top and bottomsupport members 11 and 12.

In use or operation of the improved packaging device, the bottomportions 13b, 13b of artillery shells 13, 13, are first placed upon thecylindrical seats 32, 32 of the lower support member 12, and in thisposition the same will assume an upright or vertical position withrespect to the plane of the block 30. In this position the upper byclamping in known manner.

' result could be,o b,tained .1v

tapered ends 13a, 13a of the artillery shells 13,713 by merely placingapertures 24:,- 24, undercuts 26, 2s and apertures '25,, 25, overthese-respective end portions. Inthis partially assembled position thebandingwiresmay bepositioned around the upper,and lower support'mernbers'lljand 12', respectively, as is best shown in Figure Land the same maythen be tightened andsecured as In ther assembled condition of Figure 1,relative lateral displacement between the supportmembers lltandllisobviated by virtue of,eng agement.of the artillery shells 13,13 withthe cooperating recesses of the upper= and lower' support membersll and12. For example, the lower-fiends 13b,' 13b are engaged'by the walls ofthe;cylinder undercuts- 31, 3 1 ofithe lo,wer support member-12, whilethe upper ends 13a, 13a are. generally engaged by the 'walls ofapertures 24,, 24, undercuts 26, 26. and apertures 25, 25 e Figuresfl nd7 a 1 As has been previously indicated, the objects that are beingpackaged or crated for subsequent transportation with the device of thisinvention, cooperate, by virtue. of their axial inflexibility, with thepackaging members perse, and thus define a rigid package or crate thatis suitable for transportation as a unit. This aforementinnedcooperation between the, objectbeing transported and the packagingelements per se dictates that theesupp ort member must, to some extent,be individually tailored to fit .the requirements of the particularcylin drical object being transported. Accordingly, while thespecification of this invention has described the transpgrtation ofartillery shells, it is manifest that other cylin- '4 a modificationshown in Figure 4, includes a plurality of spacer blocks 41, 41 that'areprovided on the corner and center edge portions of the plate, 49. Asbefore, these block members 41, 41 are secured with respect to the platemember 40 by a plurality of flange members 42, 42, the resultingarrangement being such that the usual fork lifts can be inserted-fromany side instead of beinglimited tQ insertion from, the frontand rear.sides as is the case with thepalletpmeans shown in Figures l3 of thedrawings.

claims. What is claime'diszj 1; A shipping package or" axiallyinflexible elongated particles having a flat base and a tapered nosesection,

dricalobjects couldjbe transported upon slight modification of thesupport members 11 and 12.. For example,

ifja perfectly cylindrical drum were to be supported, the upper supportmember could be provided with a pair comprising; a flat base platehaving the upper flat sur- 7 face thereof-,providedwith at least. onerecessed, horizontal seat againsttwhich the flat base ofsaid inflexiblearticle is seated; a flat cover plate of approximately:

equal dimensions to said base plate having at least one through apertureinterconnecting the opposed fiat faces ,thereof; and means for drawingsaid base and-cover plates toward each other. when positioned withrespect to said article; said aperture being substantially concen--trically disposed above saidjseat when said cover plate is superimposedover. said base plate in vertically spaced relationship; saidaperturehaving a plurality of radial dimensions along itsaxial lengthreceiving; the tapered nose section therein; said nose sectionprojecting through and above: the upper-most plane of said cover plate.

2 The device of claim 1, wherein the lowermost sur face of saidbaseplate includes pallet means operable to space; said base; platevertically 01" a floor surface'at otlcyli'ndricalgundercuts equivalentin size 'to theunderr designated as 4i). 'The 'structure'of thismodified lower? is similar to the support member 12,, with the exceptionthat a; different form of palletdevice is tem- UPP,

ployedin conjunction with this modified form of the desiena i l ke partr The pallet means employed in conjunction with the invention; AcQQIdiJglY, Where indicated, like numbers member and the same there is shownamodia distance atleast equal to the, distance of projection of the nosesection above said uppermost plane of said,

coveriplater References-Cited 1 m; file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,446,966 *Swikart Aug. 10, 1948' 2,530,797 Arthur NOV. 21,1950' 2,571,748 Newman Oct. 16,- 1951 2,644,578 Bramming July 7, 1953'FOREIGN PATENTS" 7 74,692 Switzerland Apr. 2, 19-17

